NOTE ON SEA-ICE NEMATODES (MONHYSTEROIDEA) FROM RESOLUTE PASSAGE, CANADIAN HIGH ARCTIC

Nematodes from the bottom section of first-year ice sampled every 4 da ys during April/May 1992 at two adjacent sites of an ice field station in Resolute Passage have been identified as members of the Monhystero idea: Theristus melnikovi Tchesunov, 1986; Cryonema tenue Tchesunov an d Riemann. 1995; and three unknown monhysterids that are similar to Cr yonema. The maximum population density of nematodes was 23810 m(-2) No ne of the ice nematodes has ever been reported from benthic samples an d their occurrence in ephemeral sea ice is the subject of hypotheses. Since a drastic change of the community structure was noted to take pl ace within a few days, it is assumed that the majority of ice-nematode species do not represent an autochthonous faunal element in the exami ned habitat and that the main site for their reproduction is elsewhere . The nematode community found near the undersurface of ephemeral ice is apparently influenced by particular import and export processes tha t are unknown as yet.